Nursery Decor, Parenting Tips and More!

When it comes to organization, there’s regular organization, and then there’s organization for moms. Let’s be realistic, moms have a few different tasks on their lists simply because they’re moms. From mom to mom, here are some organization tips to get you through your days!

Get Yourself Ready First

During the rush of the morning, it’s unpredictable what events may get in the way of your morning routine. That’s why I recommend getting yourself ready first. This way, your only focus is the kids. It’s a bit easier to wake up earlier when you know you have the bathroom and kitchen to yourself for a little while.

Schedule Chores

With children, especially more than one, it’s hard to stay on top of chores. It’s understandable for the house to be a bit messy, so don’t constantly stress it. The best way to go about this is to have goals. Instead of running around the whole house, focus on one or two rooms a day. Don’t let the other rooms bother you until their scheduled day. This will prevent you from completely crashing the next day.

Have a Family Garage Sale

Toys and clothes add up, especially with growing children and ones that can’t resist the newest toy to hit the stores. Even when you tell them they have too many toys, there will always be those friends and family members who like to spoil! Take this opportunity to host a garage sale. You’ll be teaching your children multiple valuable lessons this way. Along with garage sale there are plenty of websites that allow you to sell old items for cash. You can sell old cell phones that have been sitting in your junk drawers through GoodCellas, as well as used games and clothes through other buying websites! I’m sure we can all use the extra cash for groceries. Donating is another beneficial option, and I encourage you to do that as well! Whatever you can do to clear some of the build-up!

Bring A Basket in the Car

We know all too well that children need some entertainment in the car, and they love to bring their favorite items along. The car is one of the easiest places to get messy, but this can be easily prevented with a basket. Keep a small basket in the trunk or the backseat and allow them to have the option of a few items for the car ride, depending on how long the trip is.

I hope you find these tips helpful! I encourage you to share any tips you may have. Us moms should be able to depend on one another.

With the hot days of summer, some mothers are wondering whether or not it is safe to use the air conditioner in the baby’s room. Both research and doctors say that it is safe, and here’s why:

According to BabyCenter, it’s safer to be in an air conditioned room than a room that’s hot, airless and humid. Babies also don’t have the same body control as adults, therefore being more vulnerable to heat rash, dehydration and heat exhaustion.

An HVAC system in general helps prevent germs and bacteria, which is especially beneficial for babies that are still building up their immune systems. Air conditioner filters should be cleaned regularly to ensure the air remains clean and healthy. There are so many benefits to HVAC technology.

While the air conditioner has these benefits, it’s important to make sure it isn’t too cold. According to Families.com, it’s important to take some minor precautions before exposing your baby to the air conditioner:

Make sure the cold air isn’t directly on the baby, otherwise it will feel colder than it truly is.

While adults tend to like it a little cooler, our bodies are different, so aim for temperatures between 72 and 78.

Infants do not need blankets, especially when unsupervised. This will help keep them cool as well, making the temperature range above more acceptable.

If you don’t have access to an air conditioning unit, there are alternatives to keep your baby cool and comfortable. These include:

While searching through nursery ideas, I’ve come across some extravagant examples! It seems I’ve forgotten that nursery decorating can go beyond the baby blue walls, it can go up to the ceilings, decorative ceilings that is! For a fancier feel, I’ve been researching companies that can provide lunette architecture. Lunette architecture is half-moon shaped space created with a rounded arch. Barrel vaults from Archways & Ceilings seem to fit the bill!

Can you imagine having this ceiling? Maybe for the next nursery ;)

Before I made this commitment, I did look into some other ceiling ideas that I would love to share with you. Here’s what I found:

A Nature Inspired Ceiling

Create the look of wood with woodgrain printed wallpaper or laminate stickers. The rustic look is in, but it can be accomplished without using real wood!

A Starlit Ceiling

A starlit ceiling creates a relaxing feel for both the baby and the parents. Different types of projectors can make these twinkling lights appear above your head, almost like you’re actually outside!

An Accent Ceiling

Who says ceilings have to be plain white? An accent ceiling helps to provide a pop of color or a little design to the room. My favorite is blue and white stripes for a baby boy’s room!

Circus Themed

For a whimsical circus themed room, make the ceiling look like the inside of a circus tent!

Hanging Decorations

Whether it’s a chandileir or decor that matches a specific theme, hanging decorations can really dress up the room.Examples: butterflies, paper lanterns, a baby mobile, a kite, toy airplanes.

A Fun Light Fixture

You should have no problem finding an adorable light fixture that’s suitable for a baby’s nursery. I’ve seen various shapes and characters.My Top Picks: the sun, a frog, a hot hair balloon.

While your baby is lying in his or her crib, they will have something beautiful to look at. The options are limitless!

Besides welcoming my new baby into the world, the nursery decor is the thing I’ve been the most excited about. Ever since I’ve been told that I’m having a precious baby boy, I’ve been on the search for the cutest nursery pieces – a big stuffed animal for the corner of the room, a classic white crib, the baby’s name across the wall in wooden letters, and so much more! Many of my good friends have children, so I look to them for advice. I told each of them to create a short list of the must haves! I took each of their lists and curated them into one. Here’s the result:

Yes, it’s a mixture of both decor and things I will need, and some of it is obvious, but my friends even admit that it’s EASY to forget some of the most obvious items. It’s better to make a list and be prepared, mommy life is busy!

While some of the items on this list are already on mine, there were a bunch that weren’t. I actually just fulfilled #7 last night! I ordered it from an online rug store. It’s the one with the octopus and fish because I decided to go with a nautical theme. To go further with the nautical theme, I plan to purchase a starfish nightlight that creates the sound of waves, some shell shaped photo frames and some sailboat wall stickers.

As for the nightlight, I’ve read that items that create soothing sounds are beneficial for the baby. They help to calm the baby and gently lull them to sleep. There might be some trial and error when it comes to seeing which sound your baby responds to the best. Many of them even come with a timer.

If you have any ideas for this nautical theme, I would love to hear them!

Stay tuned for more blogs regarding nursery themes and baby products, I have lots of ideas!